Thanksgiving is right around the corner, folks. And we all know what that means. Sadly, I am not referring to turkey, stuffing, or pumpkin pie, but to something that sends chills down even the most veteran of us law students. Second only to the most nauseating three letter word of the English language - at least to a law school student (Hint: starts with a B and rhymes with car) - Thanksgiving marks the coming of FINALS.
With dead week and exams fast approaching, SW students will be clocking extra hours on those hard, butt-breaking wooden library chairs. (Can we please order some more cushions Longer hours mean later nights. Clearly, we will need fuel to keep us going. Thus, I write this in the hope that the following will give to you, my fellow over-worked law students, some guidance on where to find late-night sustenance. Without further ado, here are my recommendations for the top 24-hour eateries in the area. The best of luck preparing for exams!
EL TAURINO’S. Hands down, this is one of the best Mexican food joints you will find in town. Its close proximity to SW makes it a great go-to place. Everything on their menu, from tacos to sopes, is absolutely satisfying. Try either a carne asada or al pastor burrito, and ask for it with cheese (trust me on this). If you are feeling particularly hungry and adventurous, try the torta cubana - if you never had one of these before, you’re in for a real treat. Just a friendly warning: beware of the spicy red salsa; it is not for the faint of heart.
2306 W. 11th St. in LA on the corner of Olympic Boulevard and Hoover Street
FRED 62. Don’t mistake this for any ol’ diner. If you ever wondered where the hottest chefs in town go to get their late night grub, wonder no more. Fred 62 has it all: snazzy décor, a swingin’ atmosphere, an eclectic mix of customers, and most importantly, mouthwatering food. The extensive array of menu choices - from hamburgers to udon and breakfast to dessert - is sure to satisfy even the pickiest of patrons. Highly recommended by this food lover: spaghetti with meatballs, fish and chips, flat-iron steak, chicken-fried chicken steak, chili cheese fries;,and their award-winning buttermilk pancakes.
1850 N. Vermont Ave., LA, three blocks north of Sunset Boulevard
BCD TOFU HOUSE. BCD, short for “Book Chang Dong,” is famous for the soon tofu or soft-tofu stew. Perfect on a cold day or after a night on the town, soon tofu is one of those classic Korean comfort foods that never gets old. BCD offers 12 kinds of tofu stews, along with an array of traditional Korean BBQ dishes. After you have chosen your choice of meat, seafood, or vegetable, the waitress will ask you how spicy you want your tofu stew: mild, regular, or spicy. While each person will have his or her own preference, I have always been partial to the seafood soon tofu, extra spicy. While your stew is still bubbling, drop in a raw egg and stir it around to add extra flavor — don’t worry, the heat from the stew will cook the egg through. Although your meal will come with fresh rice cooked old-style in a stone pot, save room for the nu rung ji, which is the slightly crisped rice on the bottom of the stone pot softened by hot barley tea. It is a perfect complement to the spicy soup and oh-so-soulfully satisfying.
3575 Wilshire Blvd. LA, CA (corner of Wilshire. and Ardmore)
And, if none of these strike your fancy, there are always the old standbys: the vending machines in the basements of the Westmoreland and Bullocks Wilshire buildings. However unappealing the idea that the food in these machines may have been there since the beginning of time, those hand-made burritos in the red and green wrappers are too good not to try just once before graduating. Seriously. Try it.
Basement, Westmoreland and Bullocks Wilshire buildings.
Written by Jeannie Y. Kang, 3L
